Calculator



2 SheetsSheet 1 (No Model.)-

H. VIDUNN. CALCULATOR.

No. 473,833. Patented Apr. 26,1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH V, DUNN, OF HUNTINGTON, VEST VIRGINIA.

CALCULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,833, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed December 11, 1891. Serial No. 414,678. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HUGH V. DUNN, of Huntington, in the county of Cabell and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved calculating-machine, the cover being removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with cover removed. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the same on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig.4 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the frameshifter supports and key connections. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views illustrating modifications of the frame-shifting devices.

My invention is an improvement in calculatin g or registering machines wherein a train. of registering-dials are operated by and from depressible keys; and the objects are to improve the mechanism for accurately shifting the dials, the key-mountings, and the dialmountings.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel construction of the dial-shifting frame and the devices for shifting said frame by and from the depressible keys, and in certain other novel details of construction and com bination of parts, as will be clearly understood from the following description and concisely stated in the claims.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A designates the units-dial, which is fixed on a revoluble shaft A, horizontally journaled in uprights a a, rising from the base of the machine, or otherwise properly supported. The face of dial A is divided near its perimeter into equal spaces, preferably twenty in numher or a multiple of ten, and these spaces are respectively numbered 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0, as indicated in the drawings. Upon the front end of shaft A is fixed aratchet-wheel B, the teeth of which equal in number the divisions on the face of dial A. This ratchet-wheel, as shown, has peripheral flanges I) at each side of its teeth to guide a ratchet-toothed rackbar 0, which is reciprocated longitudinally at right angles to the shaft A by a laterally moving frame D. The frame D, as shown in Fig. 2,is semicircular in contour, havinga rear diametrical or straight bar D and a front semicircular portion D connected to the ends of the bar D and preferably formed integrally therewith. The rear edge of bar D is supported on and guided by a grooved barE, which is fixedly supported in the casing in any proper manner, lying at right angles to the shaft A. At the center and outer edge of the portion D is formeda short horizontal grooved bar E, supported by uprights E or otherwise fixed in the casing. The frame D can thus reciprocate transversely of the easing in a horizontal plane. The end of rackbar 0 is pivotally connected to the upper end of an arm D", rising from rear bar D of the frame,and when the frame is reciprocatedin one direction the teeth of the ratchet-bar engage ratchet-wheel B and rotate the shaft A and dial A; but when the frame moves back the rack-bar rides over the ratchet, the latter being kept from revolving backward by means of a spring-dog B. Bar 0 is kept in contact with the ratchet by a presser-spring 0 Frame D is held and returned to normal position by suitable springs 6, attached to the frame and side of easing.

F F designate a series of tubes arranged in a semicircle beneath the frame D. In the drawings but nine tubes are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, four of which stand just below the outer right-hand edge of portion D of frame D, one at the center but inner edge of said frame and the other four below the inner lefthand edge of the frame. These tubes are secured to the base of the casing, and each has a vertical slot F in its left side, extending slightly more than half-way up it, and at the top each has a pair of horizontal laterally-projecting ears F at its left-hand side, which partly underlie the edges of portion D of the frame.

f f are key-stems extending through suitable openings in the cover of the easing into the tubes F, respectively, being upheld, as shown, by springs f, concealed in the tubes. The stems have proper heads on their upper ends bearing numbers 1 to 9, consecutively, from left to right.

G G designate the frame-shifters, each being roughly L-shaped in contour and respect- ICO ively pivoted at their angles between the ears F of the tubes F. Each shifter G has a horizontal leftwardly-extending arm G and an upstanding cam-arm G The arms G of the shifters are about equal in length and are respectively pivotally connected by links g with the tangsf of followers or collars f attached to the lower ends of the key-stems in the tubes, the tangs projecting through the slots F. The cam-arms G of the shifters are rounded or cam-faced on their edges adjoining the frame D, and normally rest in bearing-notches (1, formed in the edges of the portion D thereof, four of said notches being in the outer or right-hand edge and five in the inner orleft-hand edge of portion D as shown in Fig. 2. The cam-arms are also of varying lengths, the extreme left cam-arm being the shortest and the successive arms being gradually elongated, so that the extreme cam-arm G at the right will shift frame D nine times as far as the extreme left cam-arm, or as many times farther as there are immediate keystems or cam-arms. It will be noticed that when a key-stem is depressed the shifter G to which it is connected, as described, will be rocked or turned, so as to throw its cam-arm G against the edge of the frame D, and thereby force the latter to move to the left. The movement of each shifter is so regulated, however, that its cam-arm will not pass below the f ram e and will only move the frame the exact distance desired. This can be accomplished by limiting the downward movement of the keystem or of the shifter.

In the drawings each shifter has a stop G depending from its arm G near the pivot, which stop strikes against the tube F and limits the movement of the cam-arm, and consequently of the frame. The inner edge of portion D is cut away, as at (1, so that the central shifter-arm G will not hinder the lateral movements of the frame when either of the other shifters is operated.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that each key, when depressed, will cause the shifting of the frame a certain predetermined distance, and the ratchetteeth of the bar 0 and the wheel B are so calculated with relation to the movement of the frame that the first or left-hand key will move the rackbar one notch, imparting a one-twentieth revolution to dial A, and the extreme or right-hand key (where but nine keys are used) will move the rack-bar nine notches, imparting a nine twentieth revolution to said dial, the frame being thrown back to normal position by the springs, as described.

Any suitable number of registering-wheels may be arranged and operated from dial A that may be desired.

In the drawings I have shown'a tens-dial H fixed on the shaft H, journaled above shaft A anddial A and having a ratchet-wheel H attached to it, the teeth of which are successively engaged by pins A A projecting from dialA at diametrically-opposite points. The

face of dial A is divided into a number of divisions corresponding to the numberof teeth on the ratchet H, each division being marked with a multiple of ten. Preferably dial A has twenty divisions numbered from 0 to 9 and repeated from O to 9, and each time-dial A is revolved once dial II is partially revolved, so as to shift it two divisions. The ratchet H is engaged by a spring-dog h, by which rebound or back action of the dial is ordinarily prevented.

I designates a coil-spring, one end of which is attached by a flexible connection to shaft H in rear of the dial II and which is wound up as the dial revolves. In order to bring the dial H to naught position, the dog h is disengaged from the ratchet-wheel H The spring I then instantly unwinds and brings the dial back to normal position. and cord might be substituted for the spring, if desired.

It is obvious that the dials might be of any size and the number of divisions on their faces varied; also, that one or more dials might be added, to be driven from dial II, if desired. .In fact, various modifications might be made in the arrangement and number of registering-wheels and in the devices for transmitting motion from the reciprocating frame to the dialswithout departin from the essential features of the invention.

Instead of employing shifters G cam-blocks i stems below and in front of frame D, instead of above it, horizontal key-levers f might be used, the same being pivoted at their inner ends and projecting forward below the frame D and beside the uprights f upon which the shifters G are mounted, substantially as described,the arms G of the shifters being conneoted by links to the respective key-levers, as indicated in Fig. 7.

As shown, the ratchet-bar O is above the ratchet-wheel B and is loosely pivoted to the frame. It might, however, be arranged below the frame and fixed thereto if the ratchet-wheel was dogged on shaft A, as will be obvious to a mechanic without illustration.

The mechanism described maybe employed A weight frame, and a series of vertically-movable keystems, and connections between the stems and f rame-shifters, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the movable frame formed With a curved front portion having a series of bearing-notches in its outer edge at one side and in its inner edge at the other side with a series of movable cams respectively engaging said bearing-notches and keystems for operating said cams, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a movable frame and pivoted cam frame-shifters G, having stops G and means for arresting the movement of said stops with the support for said shifters, and keys and connections for operating said shifters, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination of the rotatable shaft, an indicating-dial thereon, a movable frame, mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the shaft from said frame, and a series of pivoted frame-shifters G G, and the key-stems and connections between the same and said shifters, constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

5. The combination of the movable frame, the pivoted rocking frame shifters G, the spring-controlled key-stems, and the links pivotally connecting said stems and shifters, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the frame D, constructed substantially as described, of the frame-shifters G G, having stops G and the key-stems and connections for operating said shifters, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the dial, its shaft and ratchet-wheel, the movable frame D, the rack-bar 0, connected to said frame and engaging said ratchet-Wheel, the frame-shifting cams, and the key-stems for operating the same, substantially as specified.

S. The combination of the dial, its shaft and ratchet-wheel, the horizontally-movable frame, the ratchet-bar pivotally connected to said frame and engaging said ratchet-wheel,

/ the series of pivoted rocking frame-shifters engaging the edges of said frame, the key-stems and the link connections between said stems and frame-shifters, and springs for returning the frame to normal position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

S). The combination of the movable frame with the slotted tubes arranged below the same, the springs therein, the key-stems playing in said tubes, and the cams operated by said stems, adapted to shift the frame, substantially as specified.

10. The combination of the movable frame with the slotted tubes below the same, the frame-shifters pivoted to the upper ends of said tubes, the key-stems playing in said tubes, and the link connections between the lower ends of said stems and the frameshifters, as and for the purpose described.

11. The combination of the registeringdials, the movable frame D, the ratchet-bar O, the series of tubes F, the pivoted frameshifters G, and the key-stems for operating said shifters, substantially as specified.

12. Thecombination of the horizontal frame D, the grooved guides therefor, the series of frame-shifters G, pivoted below said frame, the key-stems, and the link connections for operating the frame-shifters from the stems, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of the registeringdials, the horizontally-movable plate D, constructed substantially as described, the ratchet-bar pivoted to the frame and engaging a ratchet-wheel on the first dial-shaft and the spring for controlling said frame, the series of frame-shifter supports below the frame, the key-stems guided by said supports, the frame-shifting cams, and the connections between said cams and key-stems, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH V. DUNN.

Witnesses:

S. BRASHEARS, J AS. B. MANSFIELD. 

